


Follow Me

by xiyon



Series: On a Journey [5]
Category: Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X & Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
Genre: F/M, Jecht is still a beast, Oneshot, Rikku and Vaan have a heart to heart, Tidus is still a champion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-28 21:47:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21143726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xiyon/pseuds/xiyon
Summary: :: Post-World B :: Vaan is more perceptive than people give him credit for.





	Follow Me

-0-0-0-

_Seeing you, I realized_

_Nothingness you had, captivated me_

_So follow me, I can take you all around_

-0-0-0-

It was dusk in the streets of the port city, Luca, when Vaan stumbled upon a familiar pair of blonds an hour after the Blitzball championship had concluded.

“Vaan!” The Ace shouted, immediately throwing his hand forward in greeting. His grin was wide—no doubt still running on the adrenaline high of winning yet another championship.

It was a close and hard fought fight, more so than any of his previous runs, with no thanks in small part to the Zanarkand Abes pulling Jecht out of retirement for a farewell season. It was a very grueling match but, in the end, Tidus and his Aurochs managed to outlast Jecht’s scoring flurry.

Wild was an understatement to describe the battle between father and son.

“Hey, Tidus! Awesome game!” Vaan grinned and met his exuberant greeting halfway. Hand clasped in his Tidus’ grip, Vaan nodded at the Al Bhed beside him. “Thief.”

“Pirate.” Rikku stuck her tongue out.

Tidus laughed before bumping shoulders with the Al Bhed. “Anyways, I gotta catch up with the rest of the team.” He told her. Vaan’s brow raised when Rikku frowned. “You sure you don’t wanna come?”

“I’m… sure.” Rikku flashed him an uneasy smile.

“Alright.” Tidus nodded at her before turning to Vaan. “Hey, man.” He began, hesitating slightly. “Any chance you saw Yuna out there?”

Rikku folded her arms. “I already told you. Yunie and dad are meeting with the World Regenesis Organization.”

“Yeah, but you never know.” Tidus smiled at her optimistically before turning to Vaan again. “So…?”

Vaan shrugged. “I didn’t see her.”

“Ah, well, I guess she’s busy.”

Rikku threw her arms up. “That’s what I said!”

Vaan laughed at the exchange, and Tidus quickly joined in.

Rikku shot a skeptic look at the two before sighing in defeat. She settled on glaring at the sky pirate for defusing the situation.

“Anyway, I gotta go. Let’s all catch up again sometime, alright?”

“Definitely.” Vaan nodded. “I’ll be around Spira this month.”

“Yeah, sure.” Rikku grumbled.

“Awesome!” Tidus nodded, clearly distracted in his hurry. “Later!”

As soon as the Blitzball Ace was out of sight, Rikku kicked Vaan in the shin.

“Ouch.” Vaan groaned, more out of surprise than pain. But knowing how Rikku tended to hit him, he really should have expected it. “Anyway. Wanna grab a bite to eat?”

“Do we have to?” Rikku whined, but her stomach chose that moment to grumble its presence. She flashed a warning fist at the chuckling sky pirate. “Not. A. Word!”

“C’mon. There’s still a stall open and a few empty benches behind the stadium.”

“I don’t know…” Rikku played coy.

Vaan rolled his eyes. “And it’s my treat.”

“Deal!”

True enough, the space behind Luca’s Blitzball stadium was surprisingly empty. It seemed most of the audience had already left, either to drink in celebration or to drink their sorrows away.

And so, sat on a bench, Rikku and Vaan ate in silence while the moon crept up into the sky. The former trying to stall the inevitable conversation for as long as possible, while the latter patiently waited.

Of course, Vaan wasn’t known for his endless patience, so a few minutes after Rikku had tossed her trash in the bin, Vaan bluntly began.

“It’s him, isn’t he?”

Rikku’s face snapped towards him, green eyes wide with dawning realization before turning away in shame. She remained stubbornly silent, so Vaan continued.

“My hair’s more sandy than sun-kissed, you know?” Vaan shrugged, the humor in his tone flat even to his ears. “At most, I guess it’s our bare chests?”

“When did you figure it out?” Rikku finally said, though her gaze remained downcast and averted.

“Just now, really.” Vaan scratched his nape sheepishly. “It was kinda hard _not _to see, you know?”

Rikku was beginning to realize that beyond his aloof exterior, Vaan was far more perceptive than people gave him credit for. It was likely a product of growing up as the big brother-figure of many orphans on the streets of Rabanastre. Equally likely, it was why Vaan had quickly made a name for himself in the world of piracy.

But now? It was just an annoying trait.

Rikku leaned back and stared up at the moon high above them. “Can I deny it?”

“Sure” Vaan told her with an easy smile. “But I just won’t believe you.”

“You’re such a jerk.” Rikku huffed. “Cdibet cgo benyda.”

Vaan let the insult fly as he pointed out, “You’re dodging again.”

Rikku stuck her tongue out at him childishly.

When Vaan remained smiling at her patiently, Rikku sighed and relented. “Why are you so interested in this, anyway?”

“’Cause it’s getting you down.”

“Gah!” Rikku gagged in surprise. “Ew, no! No, no, no, no!” the blonde crossed her arms in front of her vehemently. “You and I—we’re just-”

“Friends, right?” Vaan finished, his expression unchanged.

“Y-Yeah…” Slowly, Rikku lowered her arms. She narrowed her eyes up at him in skeptically. “And… and you’re okay with that?”

Vaan nodded. “Yeah.”

“With… _this_?”

“Mhmm.” Vaan nodded again.

“Freak.” Rikku teased.

“_Free_.” Vaan corrected. “So?”

“So…?” Rikku tried once more to deflect, but knew she was failing.

She knew she _needed_ to get this off her chest because before her emotions ripped her apart.

But for Vaan to be the one to tear off this bandage? It shamed and mortified her. Especially after all those times they’d been intimate with each other.

“Rikku?”

His concern drew her green eyes to his, and her breath hitched.

Vaan was sincere. There was a shimmer in his eyes that told her that she could speak and he’d listen.

And that, maybe, they could still be friends after all was said and done.

Making up her mind, Rikku drew in a deep breath.

“I thought—I don’t know.” Rikku tried to put her confusion into words. “Yunie’s busy with politics, and it’s causing a strain in their relationship.” She rambled in her reasoning. “They haven’t even gotten back together, and maybe Yunie’s interest is elsewhere…”

“Squall.” Vaan pointed out.

Rikku slowly nodded.

“Yeah, so I thought—_maybe_, you know? But I don’t know anymore because he’s just not looking my way, that way, and we always have a good time, but I know the way he looks at me, and it’s just not fair…”

“Hey.” Vaan wrapped an arm around her shoulder and drew her close. “It’s alright. I know how it feels to have your heart broken.”

Especially by your first love.

Rikku frowned at him. “Ugh, you’re a hypocritical jerk.”

She kicked his shin in emphasis, drawing a surprised yelp from the pirate.

“What was that for?”

“Nothing.” Rikku swiftly deflected. “But you’re such a jerk.”

She slapped his chest again, and this time Vaan knew what she was actually doing whenever she did that.

“You gonna be okay?”

“Vaan…” Rikku glanced around before quietly asking him, “Hey, can we have a drink?”

Vaan’s ears quickly picked up the meaning in her words. “Rikku, let’s not use alcohol as our excuse. Not tonight, alright?”

“Don’t you want to take me as I am now?” Rikku sniffled. “I’m vulnerable. I bet it’d be very hot. Or did my sob story turn you off?”

“I’d bone you right now if it’d make you feel better.” Vaan admitted. “But you and I both know there’s no need for that. You’re—well, you’re _Rikku_. You’ll be shiny again tomorrow morning.”

Rikku tilted her head in confusion. Rubbing the tears from her eyes, she squinted up at him. “So that’s a ‘_no’_ to sloppy comfort sex or…?”

Vaan swiftly kissed her, and Rikku’s arms instinctively found themselves around his neck to deepen it.

“It’s a ‘_yes’_, you resilient babe.” Vaan grinned against her moist lips. “But let’s not use any excuses this time, alright?”

She nibbled at his lower lip, not quite wanting his warmth to leave her just yet. “But thieves are never honest…”

“Neither are pirates.” Vaan rested his forehead against hers. “But what about friends?”

“Friends…” Rikku hesitantly echoed. The word was so painful. Her eyes watered and she quickly shut them in an attempt to hide. “I don’t wanna hurt you. Drec lyh uhmo ahtat eh tecycdan...”

“Rikku?”

A traitorous tear escaped down her cheek. “Oui'na hela yht cyva yht E tuh'd fyhd drec du lryhka…” she admitted in her native tongue, a small part of her hoping his Al Bhed was still mediocre.

“Hey, now.” Vaan started as he gently kissed her tears away. “Where’s the firecracker that I know?”

“Pfft, firecracker?” Rikku giggled. He was being so sincere, too! “You’re such a…cheese!”

“There she is.” Vaan hummed triumphantly. “For a moment, I thought I lost-” A sudden chill running down his spine made him pause. “Wait, did you just undress me while I was comforting you?”

Rikku grinned and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes with his shirt. “Uh-huh.”

“Woman…” Vaan shook his head in bewilderment. He really shouldn’t be surprised at her nimble god hands. “You’re trying to distract me, aren’t you?”

Rikku smiled at him guiltily, but her hands wouldn’t stop.

“I’ve still got my clothes on.” She reminded him, now waving his belt in his face.

Vaan looked around. Although it was late and hardly anyone strolled through at this time, he wasn’t about to show off this Al Bhed babe like that—no matter how hot the notion was, the more he thought about it.

Swooping her in his arms, he carried the giggling blonde to the most secluded alley closest to them.

And as her laughter transformed into something intimately familiar, Vaan knew.

Rikku would be alright.

“Ouch! Easy with the teeth, Rikku!”

-0-0-0-

_Hey follow me now, you can follow beside now_

_I'll keep you safe from afar so believe me_

-0-0-0-

**_A/N:_** Dunno why I’m still writing this unpopular ship, but I guess that never stopped me before?

Anyway. Song piece for this is _Follow Me feat. Sound Around _by _Seira Kagami_, with excerpts in the opening and closing prose. Not quite sure how I turned such a feel-good song into a sappy shot, but it is what it is I guess?


End file.
